A variety of boundary or location marker systems have been used to indicate boundaries of golf courses, driveways, cart paths, and pedestrian walkways. Previous boundary marker systems consisted of painted wood or metal stakes driven into the ground. A small decorative chain or rope is sometimes attached to the upper surface of the stake to act as a fence or barrier.
Marker systems are also used on golf courses to define exterior boundaries and lateral hazards. In previous systems marker stakes were not easily removed or if removed were difficult to replace in the original location. Driven marker stakes also present a problem with golf course maintenance as they interfere with moving equipment. As an alternative to removing the stake before mowing the area around the stake may be left uncut or cut by hand. If the stakes are removed and not replaced, nothing exists to indicate the boundary or hazard.
An example of a boundary or location marking system is Pat. No. 4,649,678 disclosing the combination of an in-ground receptacle and a surface plate. A marker stake is inserted into the receptacle to mark the boundary or location. The marker stake is removable for mowing or simply for winter storage. The stake is easily replaced in the proper location using the surface plate as a location indicator. The surface plate also acts as a boundary indicator if the marker stake is not replaced.
The physical relationship between the prior art surface plate and the receptacle is such that the plane of the surface plate is at right angles to the axis of the receptacle; moreover, this relationship is fixed. This can make it difficult to install a surface plate and receptacle combination in an area having a non-level ground surface. One could accommodate the non-level ground surface by making the central aperture of the surface plate much larger than the outer diameter of the receptacle; i.e., size the parts for a very sloppy fit. However, this produces an unsightly gap between the receptacle and the surface plate. This gap adversely affects the appearance of the device and allows grass and weeds to grow around the marker stake and extend upwardly between the plate and receptacle. Moreover, a sloppy, non-contacting fit eliminates the function of the receptacle in holding the surface plate in position.